Automatic grade-delineator



(No Model.)

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AUTOMATIC GRADE DBLINBATOR No. 321,591. 'Patented July 7, 1885.

BERNARD FAYMONVILLE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC GRADE-DLINEATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.

A pplicaion filed Api-i116, i885.

To all whom, it may concern..-

Beitk now n that l, BERNARD FAYMoNvILLE, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Automatic Traveling Levels; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a means for determining and recording the variation in the surface of a country by means of a wheeled vehicle and attached mechanism, so that the work may be plotted or laid out upon a map after it has been completed.

Referring to the accom panying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section showing the interior of the mechanism.

A is a vehicle or frame. which is supported by two or more wheels, B, so that it may be drawn along over the surface of the ground by man or other power. Upon the frame or body A is supported a easing, C, which incloses the recording portion ofthe mechanism. and beneath the frame is suspended a weight or pendulum, D. Above the shaft E, upon which it is journaled, is atoothed arc, F, which is keyed to the shaft, so that if the pendulum swings to o ne side by reason ofthe apparatus ascending an incline, this arc will be caused t0 turn in proportion to the amount of movement of the pendulum, and if the apparatus descends a declivity the pendulum moving to the other side of a central line will cause -the arc to move in a corresponding degree to the opposite side. Upon the side of the casing C is a rack, G, which may move by a dovetail or other suitable guide, as shown at I-I, Fig. 2. rIhe teeth of this rack engage with those of the arc F, and when the arc turns from one side to the other it will carry the rack along the side of the casing to a proportionate distance. A plate or frame, I, extends upward from this rack, to which it may be secured, and has a pencil or other marking-point, J, Fig. 2, attached to it. In the present case I have shown this pencil as supported in a tube, which is fixed to a hinged door, K, upon the plate I, so that it may be opened at any time to adjust er sharpen the pencil or inspect the work which is being done. In order to keep 321,591, dated Jury 7, lese.

(Nom lrle'.)

the pencil projet-ted forward toits Work, a spiral spring may be placed in the tube behind it, as shown. This pencil-point will be carried from side to sideof a central line by the movement of the lenduluin, which is caused byl the vibration of the declivity of the surface of the ground, and it will be manifest that it will make a mark upon any strip of paper or other surface which may bc traveling at a uniform speed beneath the point of the pencil. Such a surface is provided by a strip of paper, L, which passes over two rollers, M, which guide it so that it passes just in front of the pencilpoint J. A smooth surface, N, is supported so that the paper runs over it as it passes between the rollers M and this surface supports itso that the pencil will make the proper mark upon it. The strip of paper L is coiled upon a drum, O, and passes from that over the pullays M, thence between the lower one of these pulleys to a driving-pulley, I), which is faced with rubber, so that itpresses against the lower pulley, M, and this insures the paper being drawn with regularity when the pulley P is caused to rotate. From this pulley the strip of paper passes upon a drum, O', where it is wound up. A suitable light belt, Q, passes between the drums O O', so that the rotation of one willcause the other to move sufficiently to wind up the coil of paper as fast as itis discharged from the iirst one, and thebelt, being light or elastic, will allow enough slip for any irregularities in the proportions between the two windingdrums. The driving-pulleyPis operated by a beveled gear, R, one wheel of which is fixed upon the shaft of the drum P and the other upon the shaft S, which extends outward through theside of the casing C,where another beveled gear, T, drives this shaft. The pinion of the beveled gear T is fixed upon a shaft, U, which extends backward, and by means of a beveled gear, V, one wheel of which is lixed upon the shaft or axle of the vehicle, the apparatus is caused to move ata rate which will depend upon the speed of the vehicle. From this it will be seen that the strip of paper L will be kept constantly moving across the smooth surface N between the pulleys M and under the point of the pencil J This paper may be divided by lines, so that the relative travel can be easily estimated, and

IOO

when the vehicle is ascending a hill, the pen eil being moved to one side, as before described, will indicate the amount and length of the ascent by the mark upon the paper. In descending the hill the same operation takes place upon the opposite side of a central line, and the amount and extent of the declivity can thus be easily plotted out when the fieldnotes are worked out in the office. Any sudden swing of the pendulum caused by a jolt or otherwise will only cause the pencil to swing suddenly to one side or the other, which will make a straight line across and back, and will not interfere with its operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An apparatus for indicating and recording the variations of surface, consisting, essentially, of a wheeled vehicle, a pendulum or weight suspended so as to change its position With relation to the vehicle, a toothed are, and a rack connected with the weight and carrying a marking-point, which will be shifted from side to side by the movements ofthe weight, in combination with a strip of paper or receiving-surface travelingr in contact with the pencil and receiving` its mark, substantially as described.

2. A vehicle having a weight suspended o therefrom, a toothed are connected with said weight so as to be rotated by its movements with relation to the body of the vehicle, araek moving in guides and having its teeth engaging with those of the are, a trame supported G, and the hinged section which carries the pencil, of the Wheels O O', from one of which the paper is uncoiled upon the other, upon which it is again coiled, guiding and driving rollers, and ash-aft and gearingconneeted with the vehicle-wheels, whereby they may be driven, substantially as herein described.

ln witness whereof l have hereunto set my p l1 nd.

BERNARD F AYMON VILLE.

NVitnesses:

H. S. BALL, 1l. J. LIND. 

